4th of July

Aloha Folks!

The 4th of July is almost here. Makawao is always the place to be on the 4th.

Our Hawaiian rodeo starts on Friday afternoon, and continues throughout the weekend.

I often have rodeo contestants stay at the b&b for this holiday. Paniolo come from off island and the mainland to test their skills and try their luck.

The greatest Hawaiian-style parade, you have ever had the pleasure of seeing, starts Sat morning at 9 a.m. Parade festivities being with a stick-horse race up Baldwin Ave, for the keiki.

Seeing the horses with their beautiful lei and braided manes and tails prancing down the street is a highlight!

The regal pa'u riders are always my favorite. Women of Old Hawaii preferred riding their mounts astride rather than side saddle. They wore long skirts (pa'u), crowned with beautiful flowers.

Everybody enjoys seeing these striking women ride into town.

Another big crowd-pleaser is the Maui Isle Pipe Band. The soulful bagpipes can be heard from a few blocks away, and I always look forward to them.

The strong Celtic-Hawaiian connection is evident in the handsome kilted bagpipers.

I can do without all the smiley waving politicians riding in convertibles, however. They do as much for me as the smelly and loud semi trucks that dominate the end of the parade.

When they show up, I start the walk home.

All in all, the 4th is a good time, and I am looking forward to it. So, come on upcountry and have yourself a great weekend.

I am posting a few nice photos of previous parades. Enjoy.

Be sure to stop into the Viewpoints Gallery in Makawao to see all the amazing art from "Painting a Volcano from Crater to Coast." The show opens on the 4th of July after the Makawao "Quick Draw."

Aloha...see you upcountry!

Cherie

Maui Film Festival

Aloha,

All year we look forward to the Maui Film Festival. It's five nights of quality entertainment Maui style. It is in full swing right now. If you are on island, do yourself a favor and get out to the movies. June is a nice time to visit for next year, and the bonus to your trip, would be the Maui Film Festival.

Going to the outdoor Celestial Cinema in Wailea is really a treat. It's wonderful to sit under the stars on a balmy Maui evening with good friends, experiencing great cinema.

The smaller McCoy theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center usually features documentary short films. Independent film makers are showcased and really shine at this venue. Many films are followed by a question-and-answer forum.

Last night I saw one of the very best films I have ever seen. I thought about it often today. Departures won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. This delightful and moving film is a journey into Japan's cultural heritage. The film offered laugh-out-loud humor, haunting music, beautiful landscape, and life cloaked in dignity with a profound reverence. I laughed, cried and will always remember Departures. I wanted to do my part in spreading the word about this great film, and the Maui Film Festival.

Aloha, see ya at the movies!!

Cherie

Haleakala planting and restoration

Aloha,

The slopes of Haleakala are the backbone of our beautiful island. This majestic mountain is my anchor. I stop many times a day to gaze up the slopes to the crater. Sometimes shrouded in mist, often in full glory "The House of the Sun" rises up to the brilliant blue sky.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to give back to the mountain I love. Since 2000, the Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership has planted over 52,000 native plants in the dry-land forests of Haleakala.

Under the guidance of Art Mederios over 2,700 volunteers and the dedicated staff of LHWRP are making a difference. The first Auwahi exclosure is now a functional native ecosystem.

The native 'A'ali'i ,being a fast growing understory species, is planted first to shade out the African Kikuyu grass. This sturdy seedling grows fast and strong, dropping it's leaves to help produce the appropriate soil climate for the other natives to fill in.

I had the honor of planting the Kauila tree, a rare native Hawaiian tree found in the dry-land forests. The Kauila tree was an important tree to the Hawaiians. The dense native wood sinks in water and was formerly valued by the early Hawaiians for spears and tapa beaters. Because Auwahi is surrounded by a high fence, I know this seedling will grow big and strong, protected from the cattle, deer, horses and boar of the high slopes.

The reforestation projects attracts a variety of people including the Maui youth from Americorps. Art is a wealth of information, and he feels it is important to pass his knowledge on to the youth of our islands. These hard working young adults were a delight to listen to as they were being quizzed by Art throughout the day about the properties and Latin names of the trees we were planting. Their desire to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture through their efforts was evident.

We drove through "na ulu" the low clouds of the forest to 3800' elevation with magnificent views of the ocean below. It was a wild and bumpy ride up the slopes of Ulupalakua ranch.

The beautiful orange lichen growing on a low branch is one type of the approximately 110 species of lichen. The dry-land forest is one of the richest spots for lichen in the world. Rare native spiders live inside the safe haven of the lichen.

This month's O magazine features four hotels in the world that promote voluntourism. My voluntourism program caught their eye, and I had the good fortune to be chosen for their magazine article. I was pretty excited to spread the word in Oprah's magazine. Offering our visitors the opportunity to participate in some really amazing experiences is very rewarding.

Steffan, and his godson from Germany, joined the group for the planting on Saturday. This was his second time planting with LHWRP, he came back for more! To thank all those visitors who come and give their time and effort to our aina, and to encourage more to do so, I am offering a 10% discount on their stay at Hale Ho'okipa.

So, here's to volunteering, and enjoying all the wonderful fruits of our labor.

Malama Maui, and mahalo to all who do so....

Cherie

National Trail Day

Aloha Trail Blazers!

The thrill and satisfaction from clearing an overgrown ancient fisherman's trail on National Trails Day is something I want to share today. Even though I have been off the beaten path most of my life, this was my favorite trail clearing experience.

On Saturday, four lucky Maui residents and one really lucky visitor, arrived at the trail head with our clippers, machetes and work gloves. Most of us are members of PATH, Public Access Trails Hawaii. The mission statement for PATH is to promote public access to historical, cultural and other trails in Hawaii through research, education and advocacy. Go to http://www.pathmaui.org/ to find out more.

Monica is really putting energy into this organization on Maui, and I am happy to lend a hand. I am all for restoring and recovering lost public trails.

Lucienne de Naie was leading the hike along the north shore and she had not been on that trail for a few years. From the looks of it, nobody had. After locating the overgrown trail, we hacked, clipped and cut our way down to the cliff's edge. We had a little break in the dry creek bed, at which point, CJ, the man with the machete, our hero throughout the day, scrambled up a steep hillside and found some trail remnants.

Hardworking Lin Robbins from the great Northwest told us that this experience was the highlight of her visit to Maui. (Good on ya, Lin. It was a blast to share the day with you.)

We have many volunteer opportunities on Maui, please check my voluntourism page for more information.

We made it down to the beach after some hand over hand rope gripping, sliding on the slippery lauhala leaves. What a relief to sit on the beach in the shade watching the waves, scratched up, sweaty and content.

Lucienne honored us with a story about a fishing ohana who had lived in the valley we had just passed through. They had a very special bond with a shark that inhabited the bay. When I listen and look with my heart, my experiences are so rich. The entire day had many rewards.

We boulder-hopped our way down the beach to a spot where the waves gently spilled into a very large pool. It was a primordial sort of experience to crawl and float along the sides of cliffs until we reached the deeper water. We all rested and talked story in the water. Refreshed, we were ready to tackle the cliff and work our way back up towards the trail head.

The picture of Lin smiling and sitting on the clean and cleared steps that we could not even find on the way down, sums it up.

Here's to volunteering while on vacation, or where you live.

Mahalo with Aloha,

Cherie

koa heirloom furniture

Aloha from Makawao,

The tradewinds have returned to Maui. Today was a lovely day with fresh breezes cooling the island.

I promised to write about the gorgeous koa wood furniture that comes from these islands. Hawaii attracts and produces master craftsmen and artists. Mango wood, koa wood, and monkeypod are all popular for the furniture builders. The bowl turners are attracted to Norfolk pine because of it's translucent quality. I have an amazing salad bowl that my wood turner friend made for me from the old shower tree that finally came down.

The outer layer of the mango tree is often unusable for the craftsmen. The grain of the inner wood has a speckled quality. Mango wood can be surprising with it's orange and yellow colors.

Koa wood has been called the king of the Hawaiian woods. The grain from koa wood glows with an inner light. The highly sought after and stunning curley koa ripples with a wavey grain.

Even though replanting koa trees is being done in many areas of the islands, koa remains on the endangered species list. The last I heard, koa wood was around $22 a board foot.

Furniture made from this handsome wood usually commands a high price.

I have a few koa treasures, one table is at least 100 years old with square nails. I traded some pottery for a white table many years ago that I had a good feeling about. When I started stripping the paint and finding curly koa, yahoo!! I was stoked. Great trade.

My other treasure is a koa dining set with a 6 ft round table that is circa 1900, made at Hilo Boarding School. Hilo Boarding School trained Hawaiian young men in the art of wood craft in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

This is a stunning set with eight patchwork 1970's koa chairs. The heirloom quality dining table and chairs is presently being offered for sale.

One of Maui's master woodworkers, Peter Naramore of Kingswood Shop, did a wonderful restoration job creating a craftsman style base from Big Island koa. I was very lucky to have Peter's expert hand in this restoration project.

Another fine Maui woodworker is Mats Fogelvik. Mats is a Swedish woodworker with very creative and contemporary designs.

If you want to see some fine examples of Hawaiian woodwork, cruise the web and check out the sites for our great furniture builders. The picture I am posting today is the Hilo Boarding School dining set.

Aloha for now on this almost full moon night.......

Cherie

Maui No Ka Oi, Maui The Best

Aloha from a day in my life ...... Maui No Ka Oi

Yesterday was one of those days that you just have to write home about. The morning was crystal clear with the top of the West Maui's, Puu Kukui, free from clouds. When the morning dawns like this, it's hard to decide which way to go. I had a ceremony to attend at the beach so I headed for the ocean.

Many flowers and lei that had been dropped into the ocean, continued to wash up along the North Shore throughout the day. Mid day was spent swimming and relaxing in the shade. I had plans for a night out and needed to rest up.

The evening was spent at our upcountry night spot, Casanova, listening to some really wonderful music. If you have not heard of Maui's own, "Hapa," do yourself a favor and check out their website. This was a special treat as Hapa had not played in Makawao for ten years. Hard to believe that much time has passed!

These two musicians are multi talented and their hula dancer was one of the most beautiful performers I have ever seen. Barry Flanagan has a fluid relationship with his guitar ,bringing forth sweet and unexpected sounds. Poetry in motion comes to mind.


Nathan Aweau hails from a musical ohana (family) in Honolulu. He is very accomplished and versatile, playing the 7 string base and 12 string guitar, delighting the audience with a falsetto performance.

They played slack key, "Ki Hoalu" the Hawaiian word translates to "loosening the key" making reference to Gabby Pahinui. Gabby Pahinui was the first to record this style of guitar playing in the late 1940's. Slack key prior to this recording was reserved for parties and gatherings. The Mexican cowboys, paniolos, brought guitars when they came to Hawaii to work on the range. They taught the Hawaiians to play guitar, leaving them to develop their own style of tuning.

Hapa's music evokes a feeling of a simpler, happy time, praising the natural splendor of Maui. I hope they return to upcountry soon. This was a stellar day, topped off with listening to magical music with a good friend, like I said................. Maui no ka oi.

Aloha on a mellow Sunday afternoon, may good things come your way.

Cherie

Holoholo o Wahine

Aloha Folks...

What a wonderful week of hiking and adventure!!! Tammy and I took some truly amazing hikes and visited some very special places. Even after 6 days, there are still places I want to go, and things on my list for the week. But, I've got to shelve my shoes for a few days, sit at the computer, and play in the garden.

We had a nice little spring rain today, perfect for the garden. What a time of promise! I love it!

Haleakala was truly stunning, with the varied weather, vistas and terrains. We met up with a young German couple and crossed paths throughout the day. I am posting a shot of Tammy taking a pic...gives a little perspective on the scope and size of the crater.

There are more shots on the testimonial page of the Maui Divine Walkabout, or Holoholo o Wahine. The Hawaiian translation is loosely women "going around."

The inner journey was rich as well. My mind stayed busy creating for many miles, and I enjoyed the silence as I reminded myself to just listen.

I am also posting a couple of fun pictures that I took this week. A crazy dog flipping over thrown sand on Baldwin beach, and something I have not seen before...a sand crab swimming like crazy to get across from the reef to the beach. His little arms were working up a frenzy trying to beat the current as I spied him from the beach. He froze, and probably lost a lot of ground, when I stepped in the water to take the picture.

Aloha, and may the promise of spring fill you with joy.

Cherie

Happy Mother's Day

Aloha Dear Moms,

Today is a special day set aside to honor you. Being a mom is the most challenging and rewarding job on the planet. It requires a willingness to have your heart open, filled and broken countless times. The breaks can be small little tugs, or they can be wrenching aches.

As well, the fullness of love can be quiet contentment, or bursting at the seams. Being human, we all know and have experienced the rainbow of life.

Today I am sending out a beautiful rainbow that I witnessed from my garden. Hawaii is the land of rainbows, and some of them just take your breath away.

I am also sending out a flower lei of love. I placed this lei in the ocean almost one year ago. The lei took the shape of a heart as it floated away. I don't know if putting flowers in the ocean is a tradition from ancient times, I only know that this is something I do when I need to. Being
mindful that the string is only cotton thread that will not cause harm.

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms, and dads who are also moms, and aunties and uncles and tutus and papas...to all who nurture and hold our children, our future.

Aloha

Great Hawaiian music and ono grinds

Aloha,

"Deep into Haiku" is a great little cafe with some of the yummiest food, chillingest atmosphere and the bestest(!) music on the map.

I am talking about a really great way to celebrate making it through Monday. The Hana Hou Cafe, with the fab Hula Honeys playing old style Hawaiian music and talking story with the patrons, is my favorite place to be on a Monday night.

The "Hana Hou Cafe" serves fresh local food, featuring the Maui Cattle Company beef, and fresh fish caught by our Maui fishermen. This is not designer food with two inches of food on the plate, we're talking left overs for lunch the next day. I happen to really love Creme Brulee, and Hana Hou Cafe makes a delicious desert. They also feature live music 5 nights a week. We have many talented musicians on Maui, and it's great to enjoy them in an intimate setting.

Besides ono grinds, patrons are treated to some of the best music in the islands. I really love listening to the Hula Honeys...it takes me back to a simpler, sweeter time. Ginger and Robyn both grew up in Honolulu and were exposed to the music of yesteryear. They sing Hapa/Haole music, swing music and Hawaiian music.


They are funny, engaging and sweet as all heck. Robyn performs hula when the mood strikes, and it is always a treat. On my special birthday a few years back, they played on the back porch. This is what I mean by "chicken skin", a full moon with all my friends and family relaxing and enjoying "back yard" style hula and music. I will always remember that wonderful night.!

Their Bassist Jonathan Drechsler is from New York and has played with many noted musicians. These talented folks are great, I love supporting them, and playing their great cd at breakfast. Their new release will be out soon. A number of guests are excited enough to make it down to the Hana Hou, have dinner, chill out and take their magical music home to the mainland. You can check out the music at The Hula Honeys Hawaiian music web site. Hope you enjoy! Ginger and Robyn also host a great show on Manao Radio.

Aloha for now...looks like a beach afternoon...

Cherie

Music Willie K style

Aloha,

Imagine hearing "chicken skin" Hawaiian music, in Hawaiian and Japanese, funky country western, old style Portuguese music, R&B and opera all performed in one concert by one outrageous entertainer. That was the treat I had today at the local senior community center.

I felt a little bit like an impostor sitting amongst the teeny tiny white hair crowd, until I remembered that I just earned my stripes, and great affordable music in an intimate setting is one of the perks. Local plate lunch on the beautiful grounds followed the concert...what a deal!

Willie Kahaiaili'i, fondly known as Uncle Willie K, was raised on Maui. Inspired by jazz, blues, country and R&B at an early age, Willie K is a musical veteran who performed in his father's band at the early age of 10. He really connects with his audience, talking story and hamming it up on stage. He is a pleasure to watch, and an even greater treat to listen to.

This morning he shared with us his growing interest in opera. A Hawaiian man singing opera is not something one experiences often, unless you are lucky enough to live on Maui. I noticed a few moist eyes in the crowd more than once during this morning's concert.

Willie K is leaving for tour in Germany this Friday. The tour is called Simply Red, and the performance dates were listed on his site as May 5,6,7,9 and 11. If you are lucky enough to make it to his concert, you won't be disappointed. I'm sending this out to my readers in Germany, hope you get a chance to listen to this charismatic island performer.

All for now on this peaceful Hawaiian evening, Aloha, a hui hou.......... and happy almost May Day.

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. Bank tellers wear leis, school kids perform hulas for their families. It is very sweet.

Cherie

Big Island fun & Koa

Aloha,

I had the sweetest Easter weekend with my family. After rainbow colored eggs, chocolate and jellie beans, we headed to the beach. It was a super clear day for Kona with beautiful blue skies, low tide and small surf. Layer after layer of a busy life melts away when I spend the day at the beach. The sun bakes, and the ocean soothes.

We also hiked a beautiful trail on the mountainside of Hualalai...The grand ohia lehua were in full bloom with their deep scarlet flowers. Many small flowering Acacia Koa trees that were planted along the trail are now growing taller. Before long they will change the whole experience of this hike.

The Koa tree can spread a large canopy which will shade the trail. The Koa tree is endemic to Hawaii and considered endangered. Koa trees are a vital part of the Hawaii ecosystem. Many areas in the islands are now being replanted with Koa.

I am posting a shot of a small tree along the trail that shows the leaves changing as the tree starts maturing. The grain of the wood is spectacular and is very expensive to purchase board feet. Heirloom quality furniture is created from Koa. I will post more photos in the future of some of the beautiful Koa furniture made in Hawaii.

It's starting to feel like spring in the islands...it's a great time to be here and experience all the beauty of nature, Hawaii style.

A hui hou,
Cherie

Walkabout week

Aloha from breezy Maui,

Walkabout week is coming up. The new dates are May 12 to May 18th. Some great hikes are planned for this week. I have one guest coming from Nevada for some time out and rejuvenation. Two rooms are still open for the whole time for an interested party. I also have the Kona wing open for part of the time, and I would be happy to include other guests for some of the days planned hikes. Inquire about the daily fee, and we can see what outing is planned for that day. Hiking boots are required for a Haleakala full day hike, and good soled water shoes for our river crossing hikes. The full day Haleakala hike requires good physical condition as the terrain is varied and the hike is 11 miles. Layers, wind and sun protection are also recommended.

The pictures I am posting today are from a sweet hike in the West Maui mountains that I took recently. There are a number of times one crosses this stream. It feels like stepping back in time, so peaceful and untouched. I am so blessed to live on this beautiful island, and sharing special places with visitors who will appreciate the experience, is a real joy for me.

The inspiration is without end...a journal, a camera, sketchpad, one, or all of the above is always in my backpack.

So, dust off your boots, or start breaking in your new ones...get your walking legs warmed up and plan a trip to Maui!

A hui hou,
Cherie

Humpbacks in Hawaii

Aloha,

It's Humpback whale season in the islands.

I've been wanting to get out in my kayak and paddle around, but this has been a wild and windy winter season. Two years ago, I had a very humbling experience with the wind and have been cautious since then. I am a strong paddler from all my experience with outrigger canoe paddling. However, the "wind line" swallowed me up despite all my efforts. It was an experience I won't forget, and don't want to repeat.

The very early morning is the best time to go out, the wind has not picked up yet. Even in a big boat, it's not as easy to spot the whales when the ocean is filled with whitecaps from the wind.

To be out in a kayak and experience a whale cruising by, takes my breath away. Time stands still, and all I can think about is how blessed I am, and how magnificent the whales are. They breach and blow and slap and dive, and it is always a thrill to witness.

Today I have some whale photos to post that were taken by a recent guest, Alan Fritzberg. He shared them at breakfast with everyone, and said I could post them. His shots are great, and I was excited to see them.

The Humpback whale season in Hawaii is Nov-May. They travel down from Alaska to give birth and mate. The whales do not eat while in Hawaii. They fill up on krill, 1 to 1and 1/2 tons a day(!!!) to stock up for the trip. Their round trip jaunt is a mere 4,000 miles a season.

An adult whale is 40-50 ft long,and weighs 25-40 tons. Each female bears a calf every 2-3 years. Their gestation period is 12 months long. The calf at birth is 10-15 feet long. The calf nurses often.

The male "Kohola" Hawaiian word for whale, is the singer. They sing long, complex songs, sometimes lasting up to 30 minutes long. It may be part of mating behavior, also used to navigate and establish hierarchy.It is an amazing experience to hear their song...it vibrates right through your body and speaks to your soul. I like to go under water to listen to them singing.

Whale season is not over yet, if you have never experienced an encounter with these gentle giants, treat yourself and book a whale watch, or look for them from shore... you will be glad you did!

Our wonderful Maui Ocean Center has a great interactive whale display. It is a complete aquarium with a fish tunnel where I love to watch the graceful manta rays.

oooooo eeeeeeee...shrrreeeee..ooooooo uuuuuuu.. rrrrrreeee... ( whale song!..you have to hear it for yourself!)

A hui ho, until later....
Cherie

Horseback riding in Hana Hawaii

Aloha,

My son, Rocket and I had a great time together while he was home recently. We drove out the "back side" of the island to Hana. This is one of my favorite drives on Maui. The Kaupo Gap at sunset is breathtaking. Gazing at the deep crevices and shadows of the Haleakala slopes is something I could do for hours. I want to bring my watercolors and camera out to this amazing scenery and spend the day watching the shadows grow.

Our destination was Maui Stables in the lush area of Kipahulu Valley. We arrived at the stable on a sunny morning knowing full well it could be raining within the hour. The weather changes in Hana throughout the day. You can see the squalls coming in off the ocean.

Our guide, Keoni, was the best guide on any organized adventure I have ever experienced. He was a delight in his cultural pride, commitment and dedication. Keoni shared many of his stories from small kid days growing up in Hana. He began our ride with a chant, and shared another chant with us when we arrived at the overlook of the waterfall. He knows many plants and their traditional medicinal uses. He was entertaining and sincere, and I really enjoyed "talking story" with Keoni.

Keoni explained that the correct pronunciation for Hana is to put more emphasis on the first Ha....this translation means "alert." The people of Hana in ancient times had to remain alert against warring neighbors from the Big Island.

The horses of Maui Stables were beautiful and in excellent condition. They seemed sure footed on the trail up to the waterfall overlook. Even though I don't spend much time around horses, I do enjoy a great ride now and then, and this really was a fantastic experience for my son and I. Look these folks up while on Maui, you'll be glad you did!

Mahalo Maui Stables, we had a blast!

Aloha for now,
Cherie

Geckos in Hawaii...The Mo'o

Aloha...

I am posting shots I took of some of the geckos of Hawaii. I see the green on on the red ti leaf a lot more these days. It's called the Anole. This bright green gecko likes to sunbathe and is usually visible during the day doing "push ups" out in the sun. The males do this display to claim their territory. The Anole is a type of iguana.

The first geckos I met, and most enduring, were the "house gecko." They may startle a visitor, but these are our friends. They can eat up to 5 mosquitoes or termites a minute. I have seen them do battle with much larger insects as well. They actually will eat their young (yuk). The males are very aggressive with each other. I've heard that this type of gecko has been in the islands for 1500 years...they came in with the canoes. Their eggs are tolerant to salt water, and may have also floated in to land.

House Geckos chirp at night, so you know they are on the job. They like sugar water and honey, and they are a bit messy with their droppings. I have one who lives behind a painting that remains lit. I guess it is good pickings in that warm, lit area. I prefer them on the lanai where they can keep any other bugs from coming into the house....but...in the tropics, that is impossible unless you poison everything...and I don't. One or two house geckos is a good thing. They are considered good luck.

The Jackson chameleon is really wild looking. It looks like a mini triceratops with it's three horns. They use the horns for show and battle. While the males are showing off, the females are bearing young live, no eggs. They move very slowly and grab with their "thumbs" They blend so well, it is often difficult to see them. This Jackson is shedding it's skin.

The Mo'o (Hawaiian for Lizard) is an ancient mythological being that appears in the Hawaiian creation legend. It was considered sacred and was respected as a communicator to the gods. The Mo'o is depicted in a lot of art and tattoos of Hawaii.

It looks like a good garden day, so Aloha for now!!

Cherie

Bamboo and Wai (fresh water)

Aloha from upcountry!

Although we have been experiencing a nippy winter with a fair amount of rain, I was told recently that we are still in a drought. When the big rains come, it is often from the south, Kona storms. Those rains tend to run off into the ocean...now, that is a cryin' shame!

The Hawaiian word for fresh water is "wai". Wai Wai means wealth. In the beautiful and amazing district of Hana, on the eastern side of Maui, there is controversy about the fresh water that travels all the way to the central valley to water the sugar cane.

This system of canals was built in the 1870's, and still is in use today. The kalo, taro, farmers of Hana district need water to grow their taro crops. Taro is a very important plant in the Hawaiian culture. There are many remnants of the kalo terraces from ancient times.

I am posting some shots of a recent hike that I took with my grandchildren. We walked through this amazing bamboo forests to get to the waterfalls. Bamboo is an introduced species that is dominating in many areas of the islands. It grows incredibly fast, inches a day. It was intoduced to Hawaii during plantation times as a food source.
The clacking of the bamboo as it sways in the wind is soothing. One has to be very mindful of where you plant it, and the variety you plant. The yellow elephant bamboo variety gets huge, and is very difficult to get rid of once it is going strong.
I just learned about the native Hawaiian bamboo. It does not grow that tall. I have yet to see it, but I'll be keeping my eyes open for it.

We are so blessed .

With Aloha,

Cherie

Ohi'a Lehua

Aloha from sunny upcountry!

My favorite tree in Hawaii is the Ohi'a Lehua. It captivates me for many reasons besides it's beauty and strength.

The Ohi'a is extremely adaptable. It is the first woody plant to establish itself after a lava flow. It has a remarkable range of growth forms, from 1 ' tall to 100 feet tall. I was told that when it was first studied, it was believed to be a few different varieties of trees because of the varied forms it takes.

The beautiful blossom provides staple food for the rare Hawaiian Honeycreeper. The photos I am posting are the two trees at Hale Ho'okipa. The yellow blossomed tree is rare. I was gifted this tree many years ago, and am fortunate that it is growing so well. The honey bees love the blossoms, and organic lehua honey is divine! It is the best honey I have ever tasted.


The tree has an important legend in Hawaiian folklore. Many hulas and chants tell of this love story.

Ohi'a was a young warrior who fell in love with the beautiful Lehua. This was a tragic love as Madame Pele also fell for the warrior, Ohi'a. Pele was angry when he shunned her, and she turned him into a tree with gray leaves and twisted branches. Lehua begged Pele to return him to his human form. She then pleaded with the gods to do the same, "no can". Instead the gods turned the young woman in the beautiful blossoms of the Ohi'a tree called Lehua blossoms so they could be together forever. The legend says that Pele will cause the rain to fall if the blossoms are picked.

The Ohi'a Lehua is the official tree of the Big Island.

So, here's to the honey bees and love stories. Happy Valentine!!

Aloha,
Cherie

Keiki Surf Classic

Aloha,

This week I am posting photos dear to me.

My granddaughter, Mehana surfed the Shane Dorian Keiki Classic this past weekend and placed 1st in the 14 and under age division. She caught 3 good waves with 4-5 ft. faces, pulling off sprays and floaters.

After placing first in her age division, she was entered to win a new surfboard. She was lucky enough to win the new board in the drawing. The board is an Al Merrick custom 5 fin slot 5'5" board.

The legendary big wave rider, Shane Dorian from Kona, Hawaii, brings out the world class surf stars for the keiki classic. The event raises food for charity, and is free to the Big Island surf families.

This year, Kelly Slater, an American professional surfer was on hand to "stoke" the surf kids on. He surfed with them and signed Mehana's new board. She was beside herself with excitement.

Kelly Slater has been crowned the ASP World Champion 9 times, and is known for his inspirational style. Aukai, my grandson, is also seen here having his Pokemon cards signed by Shane Dorian, a collectors item in the making! (He is the handsome boy looking up.)

Kudos to Shane and Kelly, and mahalo from one Tutu (grandmother) happy to see her grandkids, stoked, surfing, being inspired, staying focused, and having fun!!

Aloha for now,
Cherie

Shaka, bra...

Aloha One and All,

The Shaka sign is a famous hand gesture in Hawaii that loosely translates to "mahalo" thank-you, "alllriiiight", or the old school phrase "hang loose."

The actual gesture has a few slight variations. A fist and extended thumb and pinky is how the shaka is made. Sometimes folks will give it a little shake, and sometimes just lifting your pinky finger off of the steering wheel is enough of a shaka, meaning thanks. Depending on how "cool" you are, you may just give one shot downwards with your pinky pointing to the ground and thumb up. You can also shoot in at an angle to give a twist. The back of the hand is usually shown to the person who is on the receiving end. What ever one's personal style , the broad meaning is the same. I consider it a recognition of another person, no need for words.

It's a way to spread a little aloha, looking out for each other. The Hawaiian phrase "Malama i kekahi i kekahi" meaning "take care of one, take care of all" covers it.

One local news team used to end their segment with people from all over the community giving shaka to one and all. It was a friendly end to the news. I always liked to see the different styles.

The origins of the shaka are folks legends. One source says it developed out of the Spanish immigrants signaling to share a drink with the Hawaiians by bringing their thumbs up to their mouths and "tilting".

Another story is that it comes form a local folk hero from the 1940's with a malformed had due to an accident in the sugar mill.

I was just thinking that it has been awhile since I have seen it used freely. I use it in traffic all the time. Some folks in my ohana, family, use it to show aloha to their peers.

To see President Obama shaka the Punahoe Marching Band gave everybody in Hawaii "chicken skin." Hearts fluttered, eyes welled with tears, and folks felt proud of their native son.

Here's hoping we see more shaka, I've missed it!

Aloha

Maui Photographer

Aloha from wild and windy Maui!!

We have a big Kona storm passing through. The wind has been at least 35-40 mph today with some major driving rain. The state has taken the day off. Schools, state and county officials were told to stay home today. The Superferry canceled it's passage as well. Mother Nature is keeping us all under wraps as this storm blows itself out.

I'd like to feature some of our great island talent on my blog. Today I am posting a photo of the North Shore of Maui at sunset by a friend of mine. The other beautiful shot is looking up into Iao Valley from the north shore at that same sunset. The Iao Valley is a very beautiful place to photograph, hike, soak in the river, and contemplate life. It is one of my favorite places to go. My grand kids love to play in the river.

The photographer I am featuring today is Tom Mckinlay. You can view his works at www.tommckinlayphotography.com. Tom has shot some amazing pics across the island. I know I'll be posting more of them. His message was to "enjoy the work." He can really capture the mood of the moment, and has some wonderful hula shots and Hawaiian cultural events.

OK, time to close up shop while I still have electricity.

A wonderful weekend to all! a hui ho,

Cherie